The present invention relates to a cigarette lighter including a safety ignition system.
A cigarette lighter generally includes a tank designed to contain a fuel such as liquefied petroleum gas, a valve mounted on the tank allowing the gas to leave the tank, a lever-controlled system for opening and closing the gas flow, a gas flowrate regulating system, and an ignition system. In known fashion, the latter comprises a flint cooperating with a knurled wheel and, usually, a protective cap. The knurled wheel is mounted on a shaft between two drive wheels.
When the knurled wheel, in contact with the flint, is made to rotate by means of drive wheels and the user's finger, a shower of sparks is created and is followed, when this same finger acts on the gas opening lever, by release of a quantity of gas. The shower of sparks then ignites the gas, producing a flame which projects above the cap.
Such a system already requires positive action on the part of the user to produce and maintain a flame and requires two movements that are independent of each other--rotation of the knurled wheel and action on the gas opening lever--to produce a flame.
However, it is a goal to increase the difficulty of using such lighters, so that children under the age of five cannot produce flames therewith.
There already exist lighters in which an additional difficulty must be overcome to produce a flame, and several patents or patent applications describe such lighters, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,829 and 5,002,482 or international patent applications WO-93/17282 and WO-95/04247.
The cigarette lighters described in these documents, have, by comparison to a lighter of the prior art, an additional device rendering access to the drive wheels of the knurled wheel more difficult or blocking movement of the gas opening lever.
Because of this, these lighters have a complex structure entailing high manufacturing costs. Moreover, use of these lighters is complicated and requires a set of instructions. Even adults may experience some difficulty in using such lighters and require a learning period.